What is delegation?

• A. The act of documenting a procedure
• B. The process of hiring staff
• C. The transfer of responsibility for a task from one person to another
• D. The transfer of ownership of equipment

Answer: (C)

Delegation is transferring responsibility for a task from one person to another while the person who delegates remains accountable for the outcome. In practice, this means clearly communicating what needs to be done, the standard to meet, and when to report back, and ensuring the person taking on the task has the competence and authority to perform it safely. For example, in patient care, a nurse might delegate routine tasks like taking a patient’s vitals to a trained assistant, provided the assistant knows the protocols and when to escalate if something is outside the expected range. In a surgical technology context, routine duties such as preparing supplies or assisting with non-sterile steps can be delegated to a capable teammate under appropriate supervision. Delegation is not about documenting a procedure, hiring staff, or transferring ownership of equipment; those are separate actions.